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Warmup was the same as for Day 10, but I only needed to rest for one minute. In fact, this session was surprising for me because my rest periods were shorter after each set than they have been. I think that’s a sign of good progress. Set 1: two laps sidestroke, 1-1/2 minutes rest. Set 2: 2 laps backstroke, 2 minutes rest. Set 3: 2 laps breast stroke, rested for 2 minutes. Set 4: 1/2 lap intense crawl, then rested. Hot tub: 5 minutes Saunta: 10 minutes at setting 5. I’m getting better at this — it takes longer before I feel like my entire face is going to pucker off. Total Time in Gym: 35...

This routine was pretty similar to Day 9. My warmup was one lap easy breaststroke, two laps easy backstroke. Then I rested for two minutes. You might notice that some days I tell you how long I rested and other days I don’t. That’s because the second hand on the clock at the pool isn’t always working. Some days I can watch the clock, other days I have to count seconds in my head, but that’s not all that accurate. Specially on the days when I do my counting in Spanish just to practice. . . The stretching I did last time felt really good, so I’m incorporating it into all my warmup/rest periods from now on. Set...

Today I changed my routine just a bit. Instead of warming up with the breastroke and then doing a couple laps of backstroke, I combined both into my warmup. I swam one slow lap of breastroke and two laps of easy backstroke then rested. While I rested after the warmup, I did some stretching in the pool. It actually felt really good! Set 1: two laps sidestroke. Set 2: two laps vigorous backstroke. Needed an extra minute to recover after this one. Set 3: Slightly less than one lap back crawl, but got a faceful of water. I choked and spluttered a bit and had to stop. After that, I tried to do a lap of vigorous breastroke...

Went to LA Fitness to swim. It’s been a few extra days between workouts (went to Disney on Saturday and walked and walked and walked). The Pool was chilly and empty when I arrived, but while I was there both other lanes were occupied. To warm up, I swam three easy laps of the breaststroke, then rested 2 minutes. Swam two laps easy backstroke, then rested 2 minutes. Swam two laps vigorous sidestroke, then rested 2 minutes. Swam two laps vigorous backstroke, then rested 3 min. Swam 1-1/2 laps vigorous breaststroke then rested/finished. Soacked for 10 minutes in the hot tub. Spent five minutes in the sauna at setting 8. I’m still not very good at this sauna...

The pool was really warm today for some reason. Made it a little tougher to swim vigorously, and my routine was a few minutes longer. I swam my three easy warmup laps, then rested. Swam two laps of an easy backstroke, then rested. Two laps vigorous sidestroke, rested. Then two laps of a vigorous backstroke, and rested. Varied the routine a bit at this point — swam two laps vigorous breaststroke and rested. Then 2/3 lap of an all-out crawl. I gave it everything I had and it left me gasping. About 23 minutes in the pool altogether. Into the hot tub for five minutes, then the sauna for another five. I still can’t get much beyond five...

Uh oh. . . No exercise today. I fell off the wagon, got sidetracked by a huge technical issue here with the website. I know this is bound to happen sometimes, but I can’t get thrown very often. But in the interests of full disclosure, I’m letting you know. Yup, I’m only human. Today I blew it. Will do better tomorrow. Hope you did better...

I went back and re-read part of the PACE book, and realized I had been doing things a little bit backwards. The Progressive part of PACE means increasing the intensity within each workout session as well as from one session to the next. I had been starting my workout with my most intense effort. Wrong! So today I started out more slowly and worked up, which is what I should have been doing all along. I swam three slow laps of the breast stroke to warm up, then rested until my breathing had settled back to normal. I swam two laps of back stroke, then rested. I swam two laps of side stroke with a little more intensity,...

Headed out to the gym a little later than I wanted to. It was about 2:30 when I arrived, and all three lap lanes in the pool were in use. I waited a few minutes, then joined the woman using the widest of the three lanes. I noticed today that my recovery rate after a lap was definitely faster than it was on Monday or Wednesday. Also, a problem I’d been having with the range of motion in my left arm was better. Not sure why. After my 20 minutes of “swim sprints” I left the pool and got into the hot tub. It was a bit disappointing today – more like a “lukewarm” tub than a “hot.”...

On Wednesday afternoon I drove back to LA Fitness. The place was even emptier on Wednesday than it was on Monday. One woman came in from the pool as I was changing, and there were a couple of guys swimming laps when I got out there. I did pretty much the same as on Monday, with one important difference. Even though my arm muscles weren’t exactly sore, they were letting me know that they’d been used and weren’t accustomed to it. I kept telling them it was good for them, but they weren’t buying it. . . After my “swim sprints” I hopped into the hot tub for about 10 minutes. Total time in the gym: 30...